Wayne Rooney

And then ultimately I lost my job for doing that.

I wanted to change.

I wanted to go back to what John Eustace was doing, which he was getting results.

And until I could get players out and bring players in who were capable of doing that, I could see what was coming.

do you adamant you want me to continue doing what i was doing and and then i lost my job that so for me that's something when looking back where i've just got to do what i feel is right sure in that way instead of being influenced by the owners ultimately which cost me my job yeah ali middlesbrough how do you uh how do you think they're gonna fare

He's been incredible because I'm friends with the Stockport owner.

So I've obviously been watching it closely with Stockport and Wrexham.

They were almost neck and neck, weren't they, with what was going on there.

And Wrexham have obviously kicked on.

I was delighted they kept him in as manager because you can always say a better manager is just one different.

But the promotions, he's got back-to-back promotions.

And to go so close this year again to making the playoffs, then...

But I think, obviously, I've managed in the championships, so I haven't been below that, but the respect I have for the managers who are down in, you know, National League, League Two, League One, and to be able to do it and go all the way through the leagues and get really close to the playoffs, it's an incredible job because...

there's so much more issues which these managers have to face than the managers in the Premier League.

So, Premier League, you're obviously, financially it's a lot greater and you're dealing with better players who maybe understand the game a little bit better, but in terms of

the issues that you have to face in them low leagues to be able to consistently do it and keep getting promoted and the pressure as well because the pressure of having Ryan and Rob there and the pressure that brings with it as well is huge for him so to be able to keep changing the team gradually in what he's done and be able to keep challenging it's an incredible job he's done

And engaged?

We had in the MLS, same as the playoffs, in the MLS, and obviously there, there's no relegation,

The only thing is the home advantage on that one-off game.

So whoever's obviously got that home advantage has got a huge advantage of going through to the next round.